Journal Gazette from Mattoon, Illinois • Page 6

LOCALSTATE O-ILiraKEVVSPAPERS A6 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2001 CENTURY OF FARMING Daley hopes to improve schools by reducing enrollment of students '''in MA VU l--1aiff nifiiimff iMr -TT-- tiative," said Michael Klonsky, director of the Small Schools Workshop at the University of Illinois at Chicago. "It puts Chicago out on the cutting edge of high school reforms." Klonsky said his group does research on the issues of school size and student achievement, and has worked with the Chicago public schools on small schools. The Chicago Public School system is the country's third largest with almost 600 schools and more than 431,000 students. New Chicago schools chief Arne Duncan said he hopes the plan to divide up the schools will duplicate the success of other small schools within the system. A study last year of the system's small schools found that students, especially those in high school, achieve more and have fewer behavioral problems.

The Chicago school system has about 16,000 children enrolled in 96 small schools or schools within a school A small school is considered an elementary school with fewer than 350 students or a high school with fewer than 500 students. The mayor and school officials announced the plan Thursday at Cregier Multiplex, a former West Side vocational high school that reopened in 1996 and now houses three separate schools for elementarymiddle and high school students. Duncan said the first troubled high schools should be identified in the coming months. High schools will be invited to submit proposals for conversion to smaller schools. By The Associated Press CHICAGO In this city where size seems to matter in everything from the food to the buildings, officials hope smaller js better for some high schools.

In an effort to turn around four to six large high schools, Mayor Richard Daley and education officials announced a plan to spend more than $18 million to divide the institutions into 15 to 20 smaller schools within the existing The new small schools would have no more than 450 students each. The first should open next fall. The ideja is to give students more individual attention in a smaller school setting, with the goals of improving attendance and academic performance, and decreasing the- number of dropouts. Daley said the plan "could lead to dramatic changes in our high schools and significant increases in student achievement. Despite all of our efforts, many children in our high schools are not prepared," he added.

Much of the money for the five-year project about $12 million ifc coming from a foundation established by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda. Other philanthropic groups also have pledged support. The Gates foundation is funding small-schools effort in other cities, including Oakland, New York, Cincinnati, St. Paul and throughout Washington state. "This is a very significant ini WMXIULDI'MSSIMIOIO Roger Britsch of Lebanon plows with a pair of Belgian horses pulling a single-blade plow as a $130,000 2002 John Deere model 9300 waits for a test drive during Millennium Day Friday at Shiloh Valley Equipment Co.

in Mascoutah. The annual celebration demonstrates farming equipment from the days of the horse-drawn plows to a modern combine with global positioning satellite technology that calculates the yield'as it combines. Johnson tomn again next year BY CARL WALWORTH Mattoon City Editor CHARLESTON On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson told voters in his existing congressional district he's running for reelection next year.

On Friday, Johnson brought the same message to what's likely to be new territory in the 15th Congressional District, with his first stop coming at the Coles County Courthouse. Johnson, Sidney, so far has no opponent. If elected, he would be the first Republican in about 20 yea'rs to represent Coles County in Congress. The last three representatives were Eldorado Democrat David Phelps, who is the incumbent, Glenn Poshard of Marion and Terry Bruce of Olney. Poshard and Bruce have since taken positions as college administrators.

The last Republican was Dan Crane, a Danville dentist, who served three-plus terms from 1978 into the mid-1980s. Before Crane was George Shipley, a Democrat who was in office 20-plus years. -Phelps is 'expected to seek reelection in a newly drawn district that includes Republican John Shimkus. Johnson, a long-time state legislator, made the announcement Friday alongside state Rep. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, who endorsed Johnson.

Johnson said he and Righter already work together on issues important to the area and refer constituents to each other. "Dale's legislative office and my congressional office work hand-in-glove," Johnson said. "That kind of cooperation in this general area is extremely important." Righter said that people in the area will be pleased with the service they receive from Johnson. "I can say without reservation that people in what will be the new 15th District will get no better representation or more aggressive representation than they will get with Tim," Righter said. oflEWSIN BRIEF Closing foam factory will not give severance pay, benefits to workers CAIRO (AP) A foam factory set to close Oct.

1 does not plan to give Its workers sever ance pay or any other parting benefit, an employee said Friday. Burkart Foam expected to distribute work done at the Cairo plant among its other nine factories nationwide, told its 30 headquarters answered the telephone Friday afternoon. Federal law requires compa- nies with at least 50 employees to give workers 60 days notice when they plan to shut but does not require severance payments. But Agnew said her colleagues at the factory expected the company to pay them something. "It would be different if they were going out of business," she said.

"But they're not." workers Friday that they will get nothing when it shuts down, said Gwen Agnew, who has worked at the plant for 30 years. Burkart General Manager John Current did not immediately return a.telephone call from The Associated Press on Friday. Burkart, which makes stuffing for car and truck seats, is owned by Ohio Decorative Plastics Inc. of Spencerville, Ohio. No one at the company's" 7 0 Weteometp SaturdaySept.

1:30 PM. to onkimc riJ, BAN Playing a vanity today's CofMtry 50's 60's mikfc Performed at Ah Texas Stater. Man keeps charity money for himself Continuing Saturday, Sunday Monday September 1 thru September 3 FRE ENTERTAINMENT ALL WEEKEND 3) 3 SaturdaYjIJept 1 ipsfoo PI wjLHEiicmWwn Be entertained wit: four avoritepfospel Mjj' i 0 rfi SHOP THESE CROSS Alamo Steak House Saloon Bath Body Works Claire's Accessories Cross County Dent al Deb Deb Plus Elder-Beerman 4-Kidz Glik'sEdge GNC General Nutrition Good Sports Illinois Consolidated Telephone Co. Illinois Express Eyecare JCPenney JP's Sandwich Shoppe Kirlin's Hallmark Macari Maytag Home Appliance COUNTY MALL STORES Maurices Memory Lane On Cue Payless Shoe Source Premiere Video Pro Nails Radio Shack Regis Hairstylists Sears Shoebilee Sunglass Express TacoBell Waldenbooks Walgreens Wolf Furniture Gallery unoay-ept. i PMto Pf BINS QUAhtcT clas Performing manf in addition toM seal and popular wc ring quartet rrwsic.

ard PEORIA (AP) A Peoria man is accused of collecting "tens of thousands of dollars" to prevent child abuse, cure cancer and help homeless animals, and then keeping the money for himself, authorities said Friday. Michael B. Sally, Sr. was in jail on $500,000 bond for what prosecutors called an "elaborate" and "multi-county scheme" at shopping malls in 30 Illinois cities and some towns in Missouri. Sally was arrested Thursday.

Authorities said Sally and six cohorts would set up stands outside malls under the banner of "Parents Against Child Abuse," and other names. All of the donations went to Sally and the others who took part in the scheme, authorities said. The group usually had shirts and canisters advertising their causes and often handed out calendars or other gifts. "These were not kmdhearted souls," said Peoria County State's Attorney Kevin Lyons. The exact amount of money stolen in the scheme is still under investigation because Sally did not keep records, Lyons said.

Authorities were led to Sally after an anonymous caller said he had just been released from prison in Kentucky and was living in Peoria. Authorities later discovered that Sally had been convicted of the same charity scheme in Kentucky, Lyons said. Investigators also found local police reports filed by Sally. In the reports, Sally accused his cohorts of "stealing" ftioney that he intended to give to charity, Lyons said. "It was very brazen," Lyons said.

Lyons said the scheme was set up in shopping malls in Aurora, Alton, Joliet, Decatur, Canton, Charleston, Springfield, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, Jerseyville, Rockford; and elsewhere. OVER 30 FINE STORES COMPLIMENTARY STROLLERS AND WHEELCHAIRS SHOP INSIDE IN CLIMATE CONTROLLED COMFORT LABOR DAY Monday, September 3 Most Cross County Stores open 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Some Stores Have Extended Hours CROSS COUNTY MALL GIFT CERTIFICATES They are available at the Mall Office in any denomination. You can purchase them with your VISA or MasterCard. :1 CROSS COUNT A Cl JJuxo 'q Working With Th Community 1:0 PM to Monday, Sept. JltcASTER; kd IE ARTIST! icont Las Vina' Just returned Ima erformance.

Prer htinf a "TRIBUTEf 1 HJTEf Cross County Mall Is Conveniently Located at 700 Broadway East Mattoon With Easy Access From 1-57 On Rte. 1 6 Exit West to 3rd. Stop light -North Side 'V Hours: Monday-Saturday 10 am 9 pm; Sunday Noon 5 pm Some stores have extended hours KING" and plav Svoi tdRocl 1 jlOli as 1.